ENVIRONMENT, TRANSPORT AND THE REGIONS

Recycled Waste

Mr. Brake:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the deliveries of (a) incinerator ash, (b) mixed waste containing organics and (c) compost to (i) Burnside Farm at Heddon-on-the-Wall and (ii) other farms by (1) Newcastle Council's Waste Department, (2) City Works and (3) Associated Waste Services from (A) domestic, (B) commercial and (C) institutional premises; and what tests have been carried out on animal feed for dioxin, furan and PCB content. [155313]

Mr. Meacher [holding answer 26 April 2001]: Section 34 of the Environment Protection Act 1990 imposes a duty of care on waste producers and others who have control of waste. The parties to the transfer of waste are required to keep records but information on waste

2 May 2001 : Column: 631W

transfers is not held centrally. Duty of care records can, of course, be sought locally through the Environment Agency's serving a notice on the parties concerned.

The Environment Agency advises that it has not carried out tests on animal feed and holds no information on any such tests carried out by others. In my reply of 30 March 2001, Official Report, column 818W, I have separately provided the hon. Member with a list of the sites which have received ash from the Byker Reclamation Plant--including farms.

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Local Government Services (Liverpool)

Mrs. Ellman:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how much (a) capital and (b) revenue has been made available for local government services in Liverpool since 1997. [157443]

Ms Beverley Hughes:
The capital and revenue made available for local government services in Liverpool since 1997--in total and from central Government sources--are as follows.

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£ million

1997-98(1)

1998-99(1)

1999-2000(1)

2000-01(2)

2001-02(3)

General Fund revenue account

Total revenue expenditure(4)

484

522

563

575

632

Central Government support

General grants

Revenue support grant

263

285

297

298

312

National non-domestic rates

103

107

114

128

124

Ring fenced grants(5)

18

20

20

29

71

Total central Government support(5)

384

412

431

455

507

Housing revenue account (HRA)

Total revenue expenditure(4)

182

182

171

160

183

Central Government support

HRA subsidy(6)

101

94

91

85

98

Capital account

Total capital expenditure(4)

57

73

76

146

(8)--

Central Government support

Capital grants(7)

19

24

24

46

(8)--

Credit approvals

18

28

31

39

(8)--

(1) Outturn

(2) Estimated outturn

(3) Proposed

(4) Total expenditure is from all sources including central Government support and local sources such as Council Tax.

(6) From 2001-02 housing subsidy includes the major repairs allowance (MRA) (£16 million in 2001-02). This is paid through the HRA but is intended to finance capital expenditure. Capital expenditure financed from the HRA (including from the MRA) has been excluded from total housing revenue expenditure.

(7) Including capital grants from non-departmental public bodies and the national lottery.

(8) Not yet available from a comparable source (i.e. local authority)

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Radioactive Waste

Mr. Llew Smith:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what recent representations his Department has received in respect of the safety standards at, and hazards posed by, the high activity radioactive waste storage tanks at Sellafield. [156397]

Mr. Meacher:
The Department for the Environment, Transport and the Regions has received two written representations on this issue within the past six months. In addition the Radioactive Waste Management Advisory Committee presented a Report, published in November 2000, on the Radioactive Waste Implications of Reprocessing. In their report, the Committee noted that the reduction of HAL stocks to buffer levels was extremely important and that HSE had set a target date of 2015 for this. The Committee recommended that progress

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towards this objective should be kept under close review and I have pressed for this timescale to be brought forward.

Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty

Mr. Green:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the locations of each development on areas of outstanding natural beauty that he has given permission for since 1 May 1997. [158708]

Mr. Raynsford [holding answer 23 April 2001]: The information is as follows:

Sites of Special Scientific Interest

Mr. Green:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the locations of each development on sites of special scientific interest that he has given permission for since 1 May 1997. [158707]

Mr. Raynsford [holding answer 23 April 2001]: The information is as follows:

Site Location

Bank Farm, Wyre, Lancashire.

A3 (Hindhead Improvement)

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the timetable for completing A3 Hindhead improvement; what priority his Department is according to the project; and what measures remain to be taken prior to commencement of the scheme. [158926]

Mr. Hill:
I have asked the Chief Executive of the Highways Agency, Tim Matthews, to write to the right hon. Member.

I have been asked by the Transport Minister, Keith Hill, to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the A3 Hindhead Improvement.

The scheme was added to the Government's Targeted Programme of Improvements last March.

Our first task is to appoint agents to carry out the detailed design of the scheme. After that we will have to complete the statutory procedures including an environmental assessment, a possible public inquiry and land acquisition.

Subject to completing the design process and obtaining the necessary statutory approvals, we expect to begin construction within seven years.

Railways (Training)

Mrs. Dunwoody:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will establish a common standard of training through the Rail Industry Training Board for all personnel in the train operating companies, Railtrack and companies providing personnel with access to the railway; and if he will ensure that an independent audit of such training is carried out on a regular basis. [158825]

Mr. Hill:
Late last year a Joint SRA/DfEE Working Group was established to look at the current and future skills needs of the rail industry. The Joint Working Group recently published an 18-Point Action Plan which provides a strategic approach to recruitment, training, assessment and competence of key staff. The Plan is being taken forward and monitored by the high level Rail Industry Group, chaired by Sir Alastair Morton, which had also identified the need for action and had set up its own cross-industry group to tackle the issues. Initial outcomes of the various initiatives are expected to be seen in the autumn.

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Railways (Franchises)

Mrs. Dunwoody:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will place in the Library a copy of the Strategic Rail Authority's template Franchise Agreement. [158833]

Mr. Hill:
I am arranging to place in the Library a copy of the Strategic Rail Authority's latest template franchise agreement together with a list of amendments yet to be incorporated. The template is subject to development as franchise replacement progresses. When actual franchise agreements are entered into, the Strategic Rail Authority is required by statute to make them available on its public register.

Mrs. Dunwoody:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will instruct the Strategic Rail Authority to extend the Service Quality Incentive Regime beyond those services provided by the Passenger Transport Authorities to all services provided by franchisees. [158827]

Mr. Hill:
No. The detailed provisions of franchise agreements are for the Strategic Rail Authority to decide. I understand that the Authority does not consider that SQUIRE, which involves direct checking of inputs by PTE inspectors, is the most suitable or efficient way to control standards. It prefers to measure service quality through the National Passenger Survey, Customer Satisfaction Surveys and Mystery Traveller Surveys which reflect passengers' opinions. Bidders for replacement franchises are being asked to demonstrate how they will develop and deliver a step-change in customer service.